How Do Y’All Break In Your New C&B Revolvers?

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40 Cal

So I got my Uberti 1860 in. No major defects, or major complaints. I did notice some differences between it, and my 1966, repro, no-name 1860. Notably the plethora of sharp edges. And the “hang up” in the trigger mechanism, that is only present when the gun is broken down, with the cylinder removed...
Which brings me to my question. How do you break in your new revolvers? Do you break them down, and smooth everything up? Or do you shoot em’ in?
I did a full disassembly, and regreased/oiled it. But I haven’t fired it yet. This pistol no doubt could benefit from some smoothing out of the rough edges. But how do you do it?

45 Cal.

Personally, I would see how it shoots before making any modifications. Mine initially had a slightly rough hand travel in the slot making it difficult to place the hammer in the half cock notch when disassembled for cleaning. This has since smoothed out and I have no other complaints with it. I bought the version cut for shoulder stock and now everybody is out of stock on shoulder stocks till mid summer. Since it makes really tight groups at 25 yards I'm curious to see what I can do at long range with the stock. I will likely get a set of slixshot nipples this week as CCI caps are the only brand available to me locally and it doesn't like either #10 or #11. Cap jams are frequent. As posted elsewhere here I also replaced the front sight to get on target.

40 Cal.

First thing is check the arbor length. Correction is probably needed. The bolt/trigger spring may well be overly strong on the bolt side. Very light stoning of rough spots in the action will keep the pistol working longer just like your cleaning and oiling before shooting.

54 Cal.

I just shoot them. I'm not good enough to worry about sights, which don't really exist on a Colt clone to speak of. If I was into CASS, then I'd probably take more steps to improve my skills, but close range and a satisfying hit NEAR the POA is fine with me.

40 Cal

First thing is check the arbor length. Correction is probably needed. The bolt/trigger spring may well be overly strong on the bolt side. Very light stoning of rough spots in the action will keep the pistol working longer just like your cleaning and oiling before shooting.

40 Cal

While I didn’t get a chance to do any shooting last night; I did get a chance to disassemble, clean, and inspect. One thing I noticed was this (see photos). One side of this piece is noticeably thinner than the other. Almost delicately so. Additionally it seems to have a wear mark that terminates into a rather sharp edge. I’m not sure what this indicates, or what might result from this. I do know however that my older (1966) clone doesn’t appear this way.
Also, on a side note... The sound... I spent time working the action while sitting on the couch, to try, and “break in” the action. Hopefully get friction points to present themselves. But back to the sound, bear with me. On my older clone each click when cocking the hammer is nearly identical. A “cleek”, “cleek”, “cleek”. Smooth, and the same from click, to click. Now the new one has a noticeably different sound. More of a “cleek”, “click”, “clonk”... The final engagement results in a sound that I can only describe as “hollow”. I don’t know what causes such a difference in sound; but side, by side; the difference is very noticeable.
I’ll be able to tell y’all more after some range time.

40 Cal.

Quarter cock the pistol and remove the barrel and cylinder. Place just the barrel back on the arbor but turned about 30 degrees from alineing with the receiver. If it goes on tight give it a bit of twist to get it fully on. Then turn it till the lower part of the barrel nears the receiver. Odds are it will over lap. It should be even. The amount of over lap indicates how much needs to be added to the arbor to correct it. Do a search to find how this can be done, and yes it needs to be done for a long life of good shooting.

40 Cal.

Quarter cock the pistol and remove the barrel and cylinder. Place just the barrel back on the arbor but turned about 30 degrees from alineing with the receiver. If it goes on tight give it a bit of twist to get it fully on. Then turn it till the lower part of the barrel nears the receiver. Odds are it will over lap. It should be even. The amount of over lap indicates how much needs to be added to the arbor to correct it. Do a search to find how this can be done, and yes it needs to be done for a long life of good shooting.

54 Cal.

Quarter cock the pistol and remove the barrel and cylinder. Place just the barrel back on the arbor but turned about 30 degrees from alineing with the receiver. If it goes on tight give it a bit of twist to get it fully on. Then turn it till the lower part of the barrel nears the receiver. Odds are it will over lap. It should be even. The amount of over lap indicates how much needs to be added to the arbor to correct it. Do a search to find how this can be done, and yes it needs to be done for a long life of good shooting.

It's my understanding that new Uberti revolvers cannot be checked that way any longer.
Uberti has increased the arbor diameter at the point that the barrel lug is about to meet the frame.
The barrel can't be installed out of rotation on a new gun until it's broken in.
After a while the arbor wears in from being forced into the hole.
But the friction fit is Uberti's solution to having a short arbor.
And that's why new Uberti barrels often tend to stick and are hard to take apart.

One way to gauge the depth of the arbor hole is to measure it and compare it to the length of the arbor.
Another way to check the arbor length would be to drop a thin washer in the arbor hole and assemble the revolver.
If the wedge will pull the barrel in and the frame and barrel lug meet [where the frame pins are] then the arbor is short.

45 Cal.

I've asked Technical Support at Cimarron to weigh in on this arbor length issue. The wedge on mine pops in and out with only light finger pressure and it shoots great. Yes, the barrel is snug on the arbor but is easily removed using the rammer. I say, stop the worrying and enjoy the new gun.

45 Cal.

Arcticap explains it very well.
Shoot the gun. Several hundred rounds should be sufficient to get it broken in. I wouldn’t go looking to improve anything unless it slaps you in the face. Caps dropping into the works etc.

36 Cl.

First thing is check the arbor length. Correction is probably needed. The bolt/trigger spring may well be overly strong on the bolt side. Very light stoning of rough spots in the action will keep the pistol working longer just like your cleaning and oiling before shooting.

Thats been my experience with two recently purchased Uberti colts. One had a short arbor, temporarily corrected with washers and the other has a too strong bolt spring, just backed off the screw for now. Needed to file and polish the arbors to bottom them out in the hole to check arbor length. Guess I have too much time on my hands.